"The individual case has been identified and is receiving treatment," Department spokesperson Elizabeth Hart said.

In addition, the Health Department has identified as many as 50 people who came in contact with the victim. Those people are being offered tests to make sure they haven't contracted the disease, Hart added.

She also added that this is not an uncommon situation, as the Health Department has conducted similar investigations in the past.

Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacteria that usually attacks the lungs, but can also strike the kidney, spine and brain. If treated, tuberculosis is curable. But if left untreated, the disease can be fatal. It is also highly communicable and can be transmitted through the air by casual interactions. That is one reason that tuberculosis often arises in jails, homeless shelters, nursing homes and other places where people may live in close contact.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include a cough that lasts for three weeks or longer, pain in the chest, weight loss, chills, fever and night sweats.